Electric car-signal.



E'. B. CHAPMAN.

ELECTRIC OAR SIGNAL. APPL IOATION FILED JULY 7, 1909.

Patented May 21, 1912.

n LI

Witnesses I E. B. CHAPMAN.

ELECTRIC GAR SIGNAL. APPLICATION IILBD JULY 7, 1909.

1,026,906, 7 Patented May 21, 1912.

, 2 sums-sum z.

1.1. 212 E g! 5 1w -wve/ntoa W Vw attorney:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVAN B. CHAPMAN, (F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC CAR-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1912.

Application filed July 7, 1909. Serial No. 508,268.

, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the sam i l v invention'relates to. car signals and palrucularly to electrically operated car signa s.

The object of the invention is to rovide a pair of signals, one at each end w iich .will be operated and controlled by the motorman in the operation of his controller to indicate the direction and speed of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a signaling device which is operated at both ends of the car simultaneously and controlled by the motor-man at either end of the car in the operation of the reverse drum on his controller. A still further object of the invention is the provision of a simple, cheaply installed and eilicient signal which will warn pedestrians, wagon drivers and motormcn of succeeding cars of the speed and direction of the car.

'With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain noxel features of construction,combination and arrange- .ment of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa diagrammatic view of the entire circuit of a car; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the interior of a controlling box with the signal switch shown in diagram removed from the re verse cylinder; and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views showing the position of the reverse cylinder contacts when positioned for oil", ahead and when for reversing,

respectively.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1, 2 and 3 represent two 'blue lights and one red light, respectively, arranged upon one end of the car, and 4, 5 and 6 represent a duplicate series of blue and red lights upon the opposite end of the car. These lights are connected to av series of contacts arranged upon the reverse cylinder and adapted to be bridged by the stationary contact pl tes as ,will hereinafter be described. AS

' tact 0*,

both controller boxes are identical, the description of one will be sullicient to illustrate its structure and connections with the line wires.

In Fig. 2, there is shown an ordinary controller drum 7, which is connected to a source of current from which the car derives its motive power and is provided with a series of contact plateswhich engage the contact fingers in the controller box as is common in all controllers of this type. One or more of these contact plates and fingers may be utilized for the purpose of conducting current to the signal controlling switch to be hereinafter described, but I have here shown a. shaft as provided with contacts 8 and 9, adapted to wipe across the fingers 10 and 11 respectively. The finger 10 is connected by way of the wire 12, to a contact finger 13, mounted upon a frame 14 carried upon the upper portion of the reverse drum and the contact finger 11, connected by way of wire 15 to a similar contact 16 on the frame 14. This frame comprises laterally spaced segmental members which carry the mating contact fingers as hereinafter described. The lamp- 1 is connected directly to a contact 17, lamp 2 is connected directly to a contact 18, and lamp 3 is connected to a contact 19. Contacts 20, 21, and 22 are con nectcd together by a conductor 23, and are suitably grounded over-the conductor 24. Contact 13 is connecteddirectly to a contact 25, while conductor 28 and contacts 27 and 19 are connected together and mate with contacts 25 and 22, respectively. Contact 21 unites with contact 29, which is connected with contact 17 by way of wire 30, and contact 13 mates with a similar contact 31, which is connected by way of wire 32 with contact 18. These contacts are in the form of spring fingers and are adapted to be engaged by contact plates C, and C all carried at suitably spaced distances around a segment 33, carried upon and movable with the reverse drum shaft 34. These parts are all insulated from the reverse drum and may be ositioned in any suitable casing individualy to themselves or they may be exposed as is the reverse drum when the door of the controller box is 0 en.

In normal position, with the controller lever set at ofi' position, the contact C bridges the fingers 19 and 22, the contact C bridges the fingers 21 and 29, and the conbridges the fingers 18 and 20.

lVhen the reverse cylinder is thrown ahead the contact C engages and bridges; the contact fingers 16 and 17, and the con-v tact C engages and bridges the contact fingers 13 and 31.

tact C is free of anyof the fingers and there fore performs no function. When the controller drum is operated, the contact plate 8 comes in engagement with the finger 10 and causes current to travel from the controller drum over the line 12 to the contact finger 13, over the contact C to the contact 31, and overthe bridge wire 32 to the contact 18, and over the line wire 35 to the lamp 2. From the lamp 2, the current passes through the resistance r of the rheostat R overthe wire 36, to the blue lamp 4, and over the wire '37, to the contact 31, on the reverse cylinder of the controllerv at, the opposite end of the car, over the jumper wire 32,

thence to contact 18, and through the con-' tact C to the contact figer 20 and to ground overthe wires 23- and 24. This lights the blue lamps 2 and 4, at opposite endsof the. car and which indicate that the car is runing at from one point to half speed. WVhen the controller drum is operated to cause the contact 9 to engage the finger 11 a current will be sent over the line wire 15 to the contact 16 and through the contact C to the contact finger 17, and over the line wire 38 to the blue lamp 1 and over the conductor 39 through the resistance 1 of the rheostat R to the blue lamp 5, over the line wire 40 to the contact finger 17 on the controller box at the opposite end of the car and over the jumper wire to the contact 29 through the contact C to the contact 21, and to ground over the Wires 23 and 24, it being understood that the controller at the oppo site end of the car is in normal or ofi' position. The two blue lights at each end of the car indicate that the car is running at full speed.

When the reverse cylinder is thrown to reverse p0. 'LlOIl, the contacts C and C are inoperativeand the (:bntact G bridges the fingers 25 and 27, thus sending current from the controller shaft, contact 8 and finger 10 over the wire 12,-contact finger 13, jumper wire 26, contacts 25, C, 27, jumper wire 28, contact 19, line wire 42 to the red lamp 3 andover the line wire 43 to the resistance 1- of the rheostat R to the red lamp 6, in the opposite end of the car, and to the contact 19, over the wire 44. From the contact 19, the current passes over the contact 0, (the controller be ng in normal position) to the contact 22 and to groundoverwires 23 and '24. This single red light at the oppositeends of the car indicates that the car is, 1

being reversed or running backward.

In this position, the con.--

It is thought that it will be clearly understood that when the reverse drum is in the position of ahead the blue lights 2 and 4, and 1 and 5, are lighted, depending upon the position of the controller drum relative to the series'of parallel contacts whether .one or both sets of said lights are lighted and when. the reverse drum is-in the reverse position, the single red light will be shown on both ends of the car. When the car is standing still and the reverse cylinder is at off position, there is no current on any.

of'thc contact-s owing to the fact that con tact 16 is not connected through in anyinan ner to ground, nor is contact 13.

'- From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawat each end of the car, a plurality of sepa rate signaling circuits each including in series one of the signalsat each end of the car, a reversing drum and a controlling drumateach end of the car, each controlling drum including signaling contacts which are connected to power when the controlling drum is turned, a circuit closer operated by each reversing drum each said circuit closer having three positions corresponding with the three positions of the reversing drum and connect-ions between said three position circuit closer and the said signaling circuits, whereby when either reversing drum is at off position the signaling circuits are connected through its circuit closer to' ground while when either reversing drum is moved to ahead or reverse position certain of said signaling circuits-are connected through its circuit closer to the signali'ngcontacts while other of said signaling circuits are opened so that when said ear is-being operated from either end a distinctive signal is given, when the controller dium is turned, to indicate the direction of movementof the car.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand n presence of two subscribing;-

wltnesses. v

' EVAN B. CHAPMAN, Witnesses:

J. C. FERRIN,

A. J. HoDEstrRAl Y Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 0. 

